


Stephanie's Ring

by allysonandrews1982 (FonzFan82)



Category: Stephanie Plum - Janet Evanovich
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-02
Updated: 2015-06-02
Packaged: 2018-04-02 14:12:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4062955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FonzFan82/pseuds/allysonandrews1982
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oneshot Joe and Ranger fight over Stephanie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stephanie's Ring

Stephanie sighed. Lately she’d been listening to Morelli and Ranger argue. Their argument was about her. It has been going on for as long as she could remember. She’d tried telling both Ranger (aka Batman) and Morelli that she didn’t want to hear it anymore. Did they listen? No way. Sometimes you just don’t understand men. Besides, Ranger was her mentor when she first became a bounty hunter and liked him ever since.

Joe was different. She’d known him ever since they were children. Joe was with the Trenton Police Department. Everywhere Stephanie was, drama was everywhere. It was time for Stephanie to leave Vinnie’s office for the day. Vinnie was her cousin but didn’t like him very much.

She parked her car on her parents’ driveway. It was almost time to eat supper. She’d always been late for supper, and her mother didn’t like that. Her grandmother, Grandma Mazur, wasn’t joining them for dinner anymore. Grandma Mazur had died almost seven months ago from old age and was suffering from cancer.

“How was work, Stephanie?” her mother asked.

“Annoying,” Stephanie replied.

“If your job is annoying, why don’t you retire?”

“Mom, I didn’t mean it that way. What I’m annoyed about is Ranger and Joe.”

“Are they still arguing about you?”

“Of course. I’d be happy once they stop.”

Her mother said nothing more.

“Why don’t you make up your mind on making a decision so they could stop?” her father asked.

“I’m not interested in marriage. You know I tried doing that with Joe a couple of times and it really didn’t work out.”

“Good thing your grandmother isn’t here to hear that. She would told you that she’d be happy whoever you choose. Of course his grandmother would love to win this argument.”

“True that, Mom. I still haven’t made up my mind.”

“You have to pick one or the other.”

“I know.”

Flashback:

Several years ago, Stephanie was eating lunch with both Ranger and Morelli. Both got along okay, but when it came to marriage, there was drama. Tons of it. She’d have to keep listening to them and told them to stop. Neither of them listened. They just kept it up.

“How about if we make an agreement on this?” 

Morelli was the first to speak up.

“Yeah, what do you have in mind?” Ranger asked.

He thought to himself, ‘Whatever he has in mind, it better be good.”

“How about we do this? Each of us buys a ring at the highest price wins Cupcake for a wife.”

‘That’s kid stuff. These two sure are acting like immature adults. I don’t need them to impress me with an expensive ring.’

“That’s a stupid idea, but I’ll do it. Besides, we’re both running out of ideas to have Babe as a wife and have children with.”

‘This should be interesting to see two adult men acting like children again. I’ll decide when the time is right.’ 

A few weeks later, both men met Stephanie for lunch. It was time for more arguing. She was ready for this one.

“You go first,” Ranger told Morelli.

“Thank you. I was hoping I would be the first.”

So both Stephanie and Ranger watched as Joe take out his ring he wanted to give to Stephanie.

“Cupcake, this ring is worth $3,000.00 so I thought that you were worth three thousand bucks.”

It was a pearl and sapphire ring. She’d never seen a ring like that before, and it was beautiful. She wanted to see what Batman had in mind.

“Your turn. What do you have?” Morelli asked, looking into Ranger’s eyes.

Stephanie thought to herself that Ranger probably had a higher price than Joe did. Both she and Joe watched as Ranger reached from his shirt pocket. She waited as he opened the box.

“This one was the best I can find, Babe. It’s worth $3,450.00 I hope you like this one.”

She looked at the ring. It was both white and pink. It wasn’t either a sapphire or pearl. It looked like the one her mother received when she said yes. Stephanie liked both of them, but thought it wouldn’t hurt to share with Lula and see what she thought. Yes, Ranger’s ring was real and Joe’s was a fake. She didn’t seem to care either way it was real or not. Both of them were beautiful.

“Which do you like best, Cupcake?”

“I like them both, but give me time to think it over.”

None of them said nothing.

End Flashback

That’s when Stephanie decided now was the perfect time to make up her mind. Lula told her she liked fake rings and she did like what Morelli chose, but she did think that the price Ranger paid for was expensive. Lula told Stephanie to pick Morelli, even though she liked Ranger.

Stephanie really didn’t care for having a family of her own, but she liked where she is now. She kept Lula’s thoughts on the rings. She still didn’t make up her mind. She decided to see what her mother liked. Her mother agreed with Lula on the ring and thought Ranger picked out a price that was too expensive, but she never liked expensive jewelery very much.

She finally made up her mind over the weekend. She thought it made sense to have both Ranger and Joe around. After she finished her phone call to Morelli, she decided to have the rings involved. Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. Stephanie went to answer the front door. Both Ranger and Morelli were standing at the doorstep.

“What have you decided, Cupcake?”

“You have your answer. I think I like your ring, Batman. I did ask Lula and my mother what they both thought. Joe, they liked your ring. Batman, they did tell me your ring was too expensive, but I do happen to like both rings, but I made up my mind. I’ll be your wife, Batman.”

That made Morelli upset, but Stephanie and Ranger decided not to have a church wedding. After her ring was on and they said their vows, they both gave their first kiss as man and wife. Stephanie thought to herself, ‘Let’s see what happens in the future.’


End file.
